Mobile payment deal for cotton farmers

HARARE – Cotton farmers who have been struggling to access mobile payment due to lack of network in their remote areas can now access the facility after the Cotton Marketers Association and a local telecommunications company entered into a financial inclusion deal.

Mobile network challenges which have seen some cotton farmers failing to use mobile payment systems over the years will soon come to an end after cotton organisations signed a deal to spread mobile financial inclusion operations to the affected cotton farmers.

“We are happy to announce that all farmers in remote areas who were failing to access their proceeds from cotton can now do so under One Wallet offered by one of the telecommunications companies,” said Steward Mubonderi, Cotton Marketers Association Chairman.

Some of the affected farmers from Checheche were upbeat about the initiative which they say was long overdue.

“It has been a nightmare to get your cotton proceeds on time, there is no network in the area, but with this arrangement we can now receive our money on time and use it accordingly,” said one farmer from Checheche.

The Cotton Council of Zimbabwe President Paul Mangwana commended the partnership between the two parties as a crucial gesture to consolidate the Presidential Free Cotton Inputs programme.

“This partnership is commendable, as you are aware cotton is now grown under the Presidential Free Cotton Inputs programme, so the financial inclusion arrangement to tap into the rural areas is positive,” said Mangwana.

Cotton is a cash crop which provides livelihood to more than 400 000 families and generates a significant chunk of foreign currency for the country.